One charged after second serious crash involving teens in stolen vehicle in less than 48 hours

One person was injured when a car rolled on Puketapu Rd this morning. Photo / Paul Taylor

Four teens are in Hawke’s Bay Hospital after a serious crash in Meeanee, Napier, early this morning.

It is the second incident involving a group of teens in a stolen vehicle in less than 48 hours that has ended in serious injuries for more than one person involved.

A Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand Hawke’s Bay spokeswoman said one female and one male are in a stable condition, one male is in a serious condition and a female was still being assessed as of 11am.

Police confirmed the vehicle was stolen and one of the youths has been charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, careless or inconsiderate vehicle operation causing injury, and unlicensed driver failure to comply with prohibition.

The youth was due to appear in Hastings District Court today.

The roads were closed for about an hour after the 2.52am single-vehicle crash, which happened at the intersection of Meeanee Rd and Powdrell Rd, but traffic was reportedly backed up on Meeanee Rd into Taradale at 9am.

Meanwhile, two teens, a male and a female, seriously injured in a crash shortly after fleeing police from a Hastings robbery on Monday, were in a stable condition this morning.

They and two other teens fled in a car after the robbery at the Z Hastings service station on Heretaunga St West, then crashed on St Georges Rd a short time after.

A 64-year-old woman was arrested on Monday morning and charged in relation to the robbery. All four youths will be referred to Youth Services.

And one person who suffered minor injuries when a car rolled shortly before 10am on Puketapu Rd today was taken to hospital by a St John ambulance.

St John initially reported that three people were taken to hospital after the Meeanee crash, but has since updated this number to four.